Side slipping weft detector



June 19, 1 951 c. R. KRONOFF sms SLIPPING WEFT DETECTOR Filed Jan. 10, 1950 INVENTQR CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTORNEY Patented June 19, 1951 SIDE SLIPPING WEFT DETECTOR Clarence R. Kronoff, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 10, 1950, Serial No. 137,781

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in side slipping weft detector mechanisms for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide such a mechanism with a detector finger which may be readily replaced with minimum disturbance of other parts of the mechanism.

Weft detectors of the side slipping type ordinarily employ a finger having at its rear ends a tip formed with teeth which embed themselves to some extent into the mass of yarn being detected when ample weft is present, but when the weft is depleted the tip slides laterally along the bobbin to give indication of weft exhaustion. When coarse weft is being used it is desirable that the teeth on the-tip be relatively large, but when fine weft is being used it is desirable that the teeth be smaller. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a weft detector mechanism which will permit ready interchange of detector fingers or elements equipped with different types of feeler tips suited to the particular weft being detected.

The teeth of the tip wear as a result of continued use, and it occasionally happens that the detector finger will be damaged during normal loom operation. Weft detectors of the general type set forth herein have been made in the past in such manner as to require some degree of disassembly of the mechanism to permit replacement of a worn or damaged finger. It is another object of the present invention to provide a detector lever and finger so constructed that when the finger is detached from its spring it may be readily slipped forwardly and then laterally for detachment from the lever without disturbing any other part of the mechanism. The lever is made with guideways for the finger one of which is open on one side throughout its length to facilitate removal of the finger.

In the type of weft detector set forth hereinafter the detector finger is slidably mounted on a detector lever, the latter cooperating with an electric switch to give indication of weft exhaustion when the detector finger slips laterally along a depleted bobbin. It is another object of the present invention to provide a single spring acting on the detector finger in such manner as to hold both the finger and the lever in normal non-indicating position, and cause the lever to hold the switch open.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is set forth:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a weft re-v plenishing mechanism showing the improved de-. tector in engagement with an ample supplyof weft during a weft detecting operation, thelay and shuttle being shown in cross section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but shows the detector finger and detector lever in the positions they assume when indicating weft exhaustion,

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse vertical sections on lines 44, and if-.5, respectively, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the detector finger.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame Ill supports a magazine .M the foot H of which is secured to the loom frame as at l2. A transferrer arm I3 is pivoted on a stud l4 fixed with respect to the foot A small support I5 is secured as at Hi to the stud I4 and has passing therethrough a bolt which. secures a carrier It to the support I5. A rod l9 secured to carrier l8 extends forwardly from the latter and has mounted thereona slide 20 provided atits left end as viewed in Fig. 1 with an upturned end 2|. A tension spring 22 is interposed between arm 2| and an ear 23 on the carrier l8 and serves normally to hold the slide 26 in rear position, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 1. A lug 24 moving with the transferrer arm I 3 is positioned for engagementwith the upturned end 2| of the slide in order to move the latter forwardly on a weft replenishing beat of the loom.

A second rod 25 spaced-from rod |9 is secured to slide 20 and has sliding engagement with the carrier l8. The lay 26 is provided with a shuttle box 21 to receive a shuttle S having a'bobbin B therein. The latter has a surface 28 to be detected during a detecting operation, and this surface extends lengthwise of the lay.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and is used in a well-known type of weft replenishing loom and operates in the usual manner.

In carrying the present invention into effect there is provided a detector designated generally at D comprising a plate or support 39 preferably made of sheet metal and secured to the slide 2|] by bolts 3|. Anelectric switch 32 .is secured as at 33 to the plate 30 and has a plunger 34 which when depressed and moved to the left hand position as shown in Fig. 2 maintains the switch 32 open, but when the plunger is free to move to the right, as shown in Fig. 3, it effects closure of the switch. Electric weft detectors are so well known that it is not thought necessary to indicate a control circuit and it is thought sufiicient to state that when switch 32 is closed a .change in loom operation, such as replenishment of the shuttle S, will result.

Secured to the support or plate 36 and upstanding from the fiat face 35 thereof is a stud 46 having a head 41 and passing through a hub 42 of a detector lever 43. An adjustable stop screw 44 on the plate 36 engages part of lever 43 to limit movement of the latter in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.

An elongated lever arm or detector finger carrier 56 forming part of the detector lever is secured as at 5| to an upright wall 52 formed on the lever 43. The top of carrier 56 has a longitudinal groove or slot 53 constituting a guide or guideway opening upwardly throughout its length and extending in a back and forth direction toward and from the bobbin B. Carrier 56 also has a hole or bore 54 near the bottom thereof constituting a second guide or guideway parallel to the slot 53.

The detector finger 66 is preferably formed c a single piece of wire bent so as to have top and bottom substantially parallel arms or sections 6: and 62, respectively, the top arm being considerably longer than the lower arm and having secured to the rear end thereof a feeler tip '63 provided with weft detecting teeth 64. The wire of which the detector finger is formed has the forward part thereof intermediate arms 6: and 62 bent laterally and in the form of a U-shaped lateral arm 65. To form arm 65 the upper long arm 6| is bent as at 66 and then curved as at 61 to meet a bend 68 projecting laterally from the lower short arm 62.

'A tension spring 16 has its forward end 7i hooked and detachably engaged with bend 6'4,

and extends over lever arm 12 of the detector lever 43. The rear end of the spring is hooked at 13 and caught on a stud 14 secured to and upstanding from plate 36. At least one of the parts 66 or 68 engages a forward face 15 of the detector lever, such as the front end of the carrier 56, when the detector is in either normal or indicating position, and limits movement of the finger relatively to the lever in a direction toward the feeler tip.

When assembling the detector the hub 42 will be fitted to the stud 46 and the upper long arm '62 of the detector finger will then be placed downwardly into the open slot or guideway 53 with the feeler tip 63 near the rear end 16 of the carrier arm 56. The short arm 62 will then be inserted into the guideway 54 by a rearward motion of the finger 66. The distance between the rear end 1 I of the short arm 62 and the tip 63 measured parallel to arm 6| is preferably equal to or greater than the back and forth length of the guideway 53 to permit this assembly Without bending the finger 66. The latter is then slid backwardly until it is stopped by engagement of lateral arm 65 with the forward end of carrier arm 56, after which the hook H of spring 16 is engaged with the arm 65 at the bend El and the spring hook 13 caught around stud 14.

The spring will normally hold the finger 66 in rear position, and because of engagement of arm 65 with detector lever 43 will hold the latter in the position shown in Fig. 2 to depress the electric switch plunger 34 and maintain the switch 32 open.

During a detecting operation when ample weft W is present, as indicated in Fig. 2, the finger 66 will slide forwardly on arm 56 and be prevented from moving laterally as the lay beats up due to embedment of the feeler tip teeth 64 into the weft. There will be no appreciable angular motion of the detector lever and the switch 32 will be maintained open. When the weft is depleted, however, as indicated in Fig. 3, the tip will slide laterally along the bobbin B and the detector lever will rock on its pivotal mounting 46 so that the carrier 56 will move away from the plunger 34. The latter will thereupon be free to move to the right to the position shown in Fig. 3 and efiect closing switch 32 to indicate weft exhaustion. As the bobbin B moves rearwardly after the weft detecting operation, the spring 16 will contract to move the detector finger back to its normal position and due to engagement of arm '65 with detector lever 43 will also return the latter to normal position and effect opening of switch 32. It will be noted that aside from engagement of arm 65 with the lever, the spring is the sole means effecting return of the finger and lever to their normal positions.

Should the detector finger 66 become damaged,

or should a change in the size of weft being woven applied to the carrier 56 and the spring attached to its lateral arm 63.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth a simple form of weft detector mechanism having a detector lever provided with:

spaced parallel hollow guides or guideways, such as groove 53 and bore 54 extending in a back and forth direction with respect to the surface to be detected on the bobbin B to receive the arms 6! and 62 of the detector finger or element 66.

One of these guides is preferably an open slot,

and the distance between the rear end of arm 62 and the tip 63 is preferably greater than the length of the guideway 53 so that the arm 62 can be inserted into bore 54 without bending the arm 6|. Although the foregoing description sets forth an electromechanical detector, certain features of the invention, such as the finger 66 and carrier 56 are not limited to electrical indication of weft exhaustion. It will also be seen that a single spring holds both the detector lever 43 and the detector finger 66 in normal position and yields to permit forward movement of the detector finger with respect to the carrier 56, as shown in Fig. 2, when an ample supply of weft is being detected. After angular movement of the detector lever the latter is returned by spring 16 to its normal position due to engagement of lateral arm 65 with a forwardly facing part of lever 43,

such as the front end of carrier arm 56 which is on the side thereof opposite to the bobbin being detected. The line of action of the spring and the engagement between lateral arm 65 and lever 43 are both on the same side of the pivotal mounting 46. Furthermore, the short arm 62 has been described as fitting into a bore 54, but the latter can if desired be replaced by a slot similar to slot 53 but opening downwardly. The carrier 56, and if desired the entire detector lever 43, may bemade of a plastic material, such as nylon, and further, the detector lever 43 if desired can be made in one piece. Also, the detector lever and finger and spring are all located above the .top fiat face of support 30, andthe latter does not interfere with removalof the finger 60. I

Having thus described the invention it will b seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invene tion.

What is claimed as new is: V

1. In side slipping weft detecting mechanism for a loom having a surface to be detected, a support, a detector lever, a pivotalxrmounting, for the lever on the support, an armforming part of the lever extending backwardly and forwardly from said surface and offset from the pivotal mounting in the direction of the length of said surface, a detector finger slidably mounted on said arm in a direction toward and from said surface and having a part thereof for engagement with the lever by backward movement of said part with respect to the lever,a spring con- .nected to the finger normally holding said part in engagement with the lever, said spring and part being on the same side of said pivotal mounting as said arm, the spring yielding when the detector finger engages an ample supply of weft to permit forward sliding of the finger with respect to the lever without substantial angular movement of the latter and thefinger whenengaging a depleted supply of weft slipping laterally and causing angular motion of the lever, said part of the finger due to engagement of the lever cooperating with thespring to return the lever to normal position subsequent to an angular motion thereof, and means indicating exhaustion of weft incident to angular movement of the lever.

2. In a side slipping weft detector for a loom having a surface to be detected, a detector lever having an arm extending backwardly and forwardly with respect to said surface, a support, a pivot on the support for the lever located at one side of said arm with respect to the length of said surface, a detector finger slidable on said arm in a direction toward and from said surface and havinga laterally extending arm forward of a part of the lever, a spring connected to said arm on the finger normally effective due to engagement of the laterally extending arm with said part of the lever to hold the latter in normal position and yielding to permit the finger to slide forwardly relatively to said lever when detecting an ample supply of weft, the finger when engaging a depleted supply of weft slipping laterally and causing angular movement of the detector lever, said spring effective subsequent to a weft detecting operation due solely to engagement of said laterally extending arm with said part of the lever to return the latter to normal position, and means effective incident to angular movement of the detector lever to indicate weft exhaustion.

3. In a side slipping weft detector for a loom having a surface to be detected, a detector lever having an arm extending backwardly and forwardly with respect to said surface, a pivotal mounting for the lever located at one side of said arm in the direction of the length of said surface, a detector finger slidable on said arm in a direction toward and from said surface, a lateral arm on said finger extending from the latter toward said pivotal mounting, a spring intermediate the pivotal mounting and said arm of having an arm extending backwardly and for-- wardly withrespect to said surface, a pivotal mounting for the lever at one side of said arm measured in the direction of the length of said surface, a detector finger slidable on said arm in a direction toward and from said surface and having a part thereof engaging the detector lever on a side of the latter opposite to said surface, a spring operatively connected to the detector finger exerting a force on the latter in a direction toward said surface and normally holding said part of the finger in engagement with said side of the lever to hold the latter in the normal position thereof, the line of action of the spring and said part of the finger being on the same side of said pivotal support, the finger when slipping laterally causing angular motion of the lever and the spring thereafter due to cooperation of said part of the finger and said side of the lever returning the latter to normal position, and means indicating weft exhaustion incident to lateral motion of the detector lever.

5. In a side slipping weft detector for a loom having a surface to be detected, a detector lever in front of said surface having two spaced parallel hollow guides extending toward and from said surface, a pivotal mounting for the lever on one side of said guides with respect to the length of said surface, a detector finger comprising two arms one of which is slidable in one of said guides and the other of which is slidable in the other of said guides, a feeler tip on the rear end of one of said arms of the finger, the latter having a laterally extending arm for engagement with a forwardly facing part of said lever, a spring connected to said laterally extending arm normally holding the latter in engagement with said part of the lever to maintain the latter in normal position, and exerting a force on the finger in a direction toward said surface, the detector finger when slipping laterally causing angular motion of the lever and the spring thereafter cooperating with said laterally extending arm and the part of the lever to return the latter to normal position, and means indicating weft exhaustion incident to angular motion of the detector lever.

6. In side slipping weft detector mechanism for a loom having a surface to be detected, a support having a fiat top face, a pivot carried by said support and extending upwardly from said face, a detector lever pivotally mounted on said pivot above said face and having two parallel hollow guides therein offset from said pivot in the direction of the length of said surface and extending toward and from said surface, one of said guides being open on one side thereof along the length thereof, a detector finger having two parallel arms one of which is relatively long and is provided with a feeler tip and is slidable in said one guide and the other arm of which is slidable in the other guide and terminates at a distance from said feeler tip equal at least to the length of said one guide, a lateral arm on at least one of said two parallel arms for engagement with a part of said lever between the lateral arm and said surface, a spring above the face of said support detachably connected to said lateral arm exerting a force on the finger directed toward said surface and normally holding said lateral arm of the finger against said part of the lever to maintain the latter in the normal position thereof, the finger when slipping laterally causing angular motion of the lever and the spring thereafter due to engagement of said lateral arm with said part of the lever returning the latter to normal position, the finger when detached from said spring being slida-ble in said guides in a direction away from said surface and over the face of said support to remove the shorter of said two arms from the guide therefor, after which the longer of said arms carrying the feeler tip will be removable from said open guide by a motion transverse of the latter, and means effecting indication of weft exhaustion incident to angular motion of the detector lever.

7. An assembly for side slipping weft detector mechanism operating with a spring, said assembly comprising a lever formed with two hollow parallel guides one of which is open on one side thereof throughout the length thereof, a detector finger having two parallel arms one of which is received by the open guide and the other of which is received by the other guide, a feeler tip on said one parallel arm of the finger, the distance between said tip and the other parallel arm measured in a direction parallel to said one arm being at least equal to the length of said open guide, and an arm on said finger extending laterally from said parallel arms for engagement with part of said lever and attachment to said spring.

8. An assembly for a side slipping weft detector mechanism operating with a spring, the assembly comprising a detector lever formed with two parallel guideways therein, one of said guideways being open on one side thereof throughout the length thereof, a detector finger having an arm received by said open guideway and having a second arm received by the other guideway,

a hub on the lever located at one side of the guideways, an arm extending laterally from said finger toward said hub for engagement with said lever and attachment to said spring, and a feeler tip on the first named arm, the distance between said tip and the second arm measured in a direction parallel to the first named arm being greater than the length of said open guideway.

9. In an assembly for a side slipping weft detector mechanism, a detector lever having two parallel guideways one of which is open on one side thereof throughout the length thereof, a detector finger having two parallel arms one of which is located in said one guideway and the other of which is located in the other guideway, a feeler tip on said one arm, and a lateral arm on the finger for engagement with part of the lever to limit motion of the finger relatively to the lever in a direction toward said tip the end of said other arm facing the tip being spaced from the latter by a distance at least equal to the length of said one guideway.

CLARENCE R. KRONOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,249,277 Draper et al Dec. 4, 1917 1,747,997 Simpson Feb. 18, 1930 2,254,535 Lachance Sept. 2, 1941 

